Automatic musical instrument.



G. FREBORG.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 1, 1913.

1,127,426. Patenied Feb. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. /7 add/ m fl g a- 0. FREBORG.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.1,1913.

1,127,426. Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

, m L a UNlTED FrtilfENT OFFICE.

CHARLES FREBORG, OF KANKAKEE. ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR TO PRICE AND TEEPLE PIANO COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 1 CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Application filed March 1. 1913.

To a z /zon/ it may concern Be it known that 1. CHARLES Fin-mono, a itizer'of the l nited States. residing at lianlv'akee. in the county of Kankakce and State of Illinois. have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Automatic Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The. principal object of my invention is to provide a new and improved :u'ljustable trackerboard for automatic musical instru ments such as employ perforated paper music sheets.

Another object of my invention to provide an adjustable tracker board by which a musical selection can he played as desired in a transposed higher or lower key.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for slightly adjusting the tracker board of such a musical instrument so that if the music roll runs a little to one side or the other the tracker board can be shifted to follow it.

All these objects of my invention and others will be made apparent in the following specification and claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. In these drawings I have illustrated one specific embodiment of my invention for the purpose of making a clear and definite explanation, but it will he understood that the invention is defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a tracker board embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Figs. 3 and 4 are end elevations of the tracker board adjusting mechanism showing it in two different positions. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5, 5 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 6 is a vertical section across the tracker board taken on the line 6. 6 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showinga detail.

A rectangular wooden frame is formed of the top member 15, bottom member 16 and two side members 17. These side members 17 support the music roll 18 above and the winding roll 19 below and the perforated music sheet in normal operation will unwind from the roll 18 and wind upon the roll 19.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

Serial No. 751.440.

The metal brackets 20 are attached to the rear sides of the respective vertical frame members 17. as shown in Fig. 7, and their extremities 21 are bent forward and notched at 2; so-as to form guides for the tracker board 23, which has inturned lips '24 engaging the. notches The wooden blocks 25 are secured by the screws lfii-l0.th(t inner faces of the metal brackets 21 and form ledges to which the boards 27 and '38 may be secured. The frame is inclosed on the rear side by the boards 30. and 29 behind the rolls 1S and 19, respectively.

The holes in the tracker board are designa ted 31. From each such hole 31 there extends a short metal tube 32, as shown in Fig. (3, the tubes 32 being staggered so as to give room for attaching the rubber tubes 33. These rubber tubes 33 extend to the exhaust air chamber and are connected in such a way that inrush of air through the holes 31 actuate; the playing mechanism.

The sleeve 34 is secured in the extremity of the left-hand bracket 21 and has a steep internal thread 35 which isengaged by the corresponding thread 37 on the screw plug 36. This plug 36 has rigidly attached thereto a depending arm 38 carrying ahandle 39 at its lower extremity. Beyond the arm 38 is also rigidly attached to the plug 36 a head 40 and between the head 40 and the arm 38 is rotatably mounted a dog 41 with an upwardly projecting handle 43. The adjacent edge of the tracker board 23 has a row of notches 44 spaced apart the same distance as the distance between successive holes 31 in the tracker board. The dog 41 has a part 4'2 adapted to enter one of these notches 44. The dog 41 also has a forwardly projecting pointer 45 adapted to register with the arrow 46 marked on the tracker board. Beside this arrow 46 there are other marks each. like the arrow 46, in registry with a particular notch 44. The dog 41 carries a leaf spring 48, the free end of which presses against the tracker board ata point below the plug 36, thus tending to rotate the dog .41 in a direction to cause its part 42 to engage a notch 44 in the tracker board.

For normal operation of the device the pointer 45 is set opposite the arrow 46, but should it be desired to play a musical selection in a higher or lower key this may be accomplished by pushing back the dog 41 by pressing a thumb or finger against the handle 43, and then shifting the tracker board 23 manually to the right or left, after which the tracker board may be locked in a.

definite proper position by releasing the dog 41 and permitting the spring 48 to throw it in engagement with one of the notches 44. By means of the scale 47 and pointer it can easily be determined how much the playingof the selection is transposed. Should it be desired while a selection is being played to shift the tracker board slightly. as for example if the music roll was not registering quite accurately with the tracker board, this can be accomplished by means of the handle 39. A slight movement of the handle 39 will rotate the shaft 36 and thereby shift the tracker board 23 to any desired extent within limits that may be desired. Thus if the edges of the music roll become worn with use so that the holes in the sheet 'do not register accurately with the holes 31 in the tracker board 23, the tracker board can be shifted during the playing of the selec-' tion to effect perfect registry. The shaft 36, attached handle 38, and dog 41 can be readily removed by disengaging the dog 41, as shown in Fig. 4, and moving the tracker board 23 to the extreme right. In this way the end of the tracker board 23 will clear 7 the leaf spring 48 and permit the stud 36 to be unscrewed'from the sleeve 34.

-It will be seen that I have provided a simple and effective device by means of which the tracker board can be shifted definitely so as to play a selection in a transposed key when desired and by means of which during the playing of a selection perfect registry of the perforations in the tracker 'board with those in the music sheet can be obtained if necessary.

I claim:

1; In a device of the class described, a displaceable tracker board, means to latch the same at certain definite positions spaced by suitable intervals for transposing, said means comprising a n tched member and a dog to engage a notch thereof, and means to adjust the tracker board by a continuous intervals adapted for transposing, means to displace the latch and the tracker board therewith over a narrow range gradually while the device is in normal operation.

'of notches therein, a screw-threaded shaft with its axis parallel to the length of the tracker board, a dog pivoted on said shaft and adapted to engage one of the said notches in the tracker board, and a handle to rotate the said shaft and thereby displace the dog longitudinally and with it the tracker boar j 5. In a device of the class described, a tracker board, supports therefor adjacent to the ends thereof, an internally screwthreaded sleeve carried by one of said supports, an externally screw-threaded shaft engaging said sleeve, a dog carried by said shaft," said tracker board having notches therein adapted to be engaged by said dog,

and a handle to rotate said shaft and thereby displace the'dog longitudinally and with it the tracker board.

6. In a device of the class described, a tracker board and a support therefor, said tracker board being longitudinally displaceable with relation to said support, means carried by said support to engage said tracker board and hold the same at definite points of adjustment, and means to effect added adjustment of said tracker board when engaged by said first named means to enable, the obtaining of accurate registry on said tracker board of a perforated music sheet.

7. In a device of the class described, a tracker board, a support therefor, said tracker board being longitudinally displaceable upon said support, a latch carried by the support engaging the tracker board, said latch being displaceable in a direction parallel to the tracker board, and a plu- Iality of definite places on said tracker board adapted to be engaged by said latch.

8. In a device of the class described, a

. rectangular frame, brackets attached to itsv side members on the rear faces thereof, said brackets extending inwardly and then forwardly through the frame, and a longitudinally displaceable tracker board supported on the ends of said brackets.

'9. In a device of the class described, a frame, two brackets attached to the back of the frame on opposite sides and extending a limited distance toward each other, said brackets having their ends bent forward and extending parallel to each other into the frame, and having their extreme ends notched, and a tracker board with guide lips engaging the notches in the ends of said brackets.

10. In a device of the class described, a rectangular frame, a tracker board, and brackets carried by the frame and supporting the tracker board, each said bracket consisting of a metal plate bent at a right angle and having one end attached to the side member of the frame and the other end extending forwardly within the frame.

11. In a device of the class described, a frame, brackets each bent at a right angle and attached to the sides of the frame and extending thence Within the frame, blocks attached to the inner faces of said brackets so as to form ledges, inclosing boards attached to said ledges, and a tracker board displaceably mounted on the extremities of the brackets.

12. In a device of the class described, a frame, brackets attached on the back thereof and extending thence forward through the frame, a screw-threaded sleeve carried by one of saidbrackets, a tracker board slidably mounted on the ends of both brackets, a screw-threaded shaft engaging said screw-threaded sleeve, and adjustable means comprising a notched member and a dog to engage a notch thereof, and means to adjust the tracker board by a continuous movement over a narrow range While in normal operation, said last mentioned means being connected to the said dog, and acting therethrough upon the tracker board.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

CHARLES FREBORG.

Witnesses:

HENRY A. PARKS, ANNA L. WALTON. 

